A Song Like This
by PeaceLove01
Summary: Caroline Danvers is back after three months of running away from her life. Her destiny is catching up to her faster than ever; Her friends are no longer who they were unless she explains her life. But how do you explain something you dont know yourself?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One.

Chronicles of Life and Death - Good Charlotte.

"Caroline?"

I pulled the phone away from my ear for a second and stared at it. Was that really Mr. Faulkner calling me?

"I know this is unexpected but-", he took a shuddering breath. My heart immediately began racing; why was he crying?

"What's wrong Mr. Faulkner? Is Alex alright?" I clutched the rusty phone handle tighter as if that would make me hear him any better.

"No… I mean, He say's he's alright but…" He took another shuddering breath and continued "… It's Annabel."

Mrs. Faulkner? Comprehension came crashing down on me like an avalanche.

Mrs. Faulkner. Alex's Mum. The Tumor.

Of Course.

"Oh God… I'm so sorry Mr. Faulkner. I… I don't know what to say…"

I felt the tears prickling in my eyes and took a deep breath to control myself. I understood now why he had called me. Alex wouldn't. He wouldn't want to "disturb" me – He would think he was strong enough to tough out on his own and that he didn't need me.

"Caroline?"

I braced myself.

"Yes?"

There was silence on the line for a moment. I jumped when there was movement behind me realizing too late that my grandmother had come downstairs with me.

"Mr. Faulkner?" I prompted.

"Will you come home?"

Even though I was prepared to hear it, I felt the breath whoosh out of me. I hadn't realized I was holding my breath.

"He needs you. He won't admit it but he does. You're the only one who can help him right now."

So it _was_ that bad.

"Will you come home Carrie?" Mr. Faulkner asked again.

My voice caught in my throat. How could I just go back? I wasn't meant to go back. I had come here with the prime intention of never going back.

But no one knew that. They all thought I was on an extended vacation.

"I'll be home in a few hours."

I hung up the phone and turned around to find my grandmother scrutinizing me. I leaned against the window and held my head in my hands for a minute. I felt my grandmother's grip on my shoulder.

"It's not supposed to be this hard Gram…"

"You'll fall right back in Ma Cherie… Just go back for now. No body has to know anything."

I looked up. Gram placed both her hands on either side of my face and looked me straight in the eyes.

"Go back. Come back after two weeks for a few days and deal with things here. Don't worry. You'll be protected."

I sighed and got up.

"I can stay away for as long as I want?"

"Yes. I promise."

"They - "

Just then, the doorbell rang. Instinct took over and I didn't need to see Gram's eyes widened with fear, to know what was happening. Gram took a deep breath and moved to answered the door while I pulled on a jacket over my tank top.

It was the La Fouex's care taker Anderson, looking inside past the doorway at us as if he expected us in a less than perfect condition.

"Please Madam Danvers, forgive me. We thought something may have happened to you and your granddaughter when you didn't respond to the commotion. It was so close to your home."

"What commotion? We didn't see or hear anything." Even though she didn't realize it Gram's carefully controlled superior temperament was beginning to show, what with the added stress that had come in the form of her granddaughter.

Anderson said nothing but instead stepped out of our way and pointed towards the lush green clearing that was adjacent to Gram's three story penthouse. Gram pulled on her robe and began to walk towards the seemingly peaceful clearing; I hesitated for two seconds before following her. I could see now that the whole neighborhood was awake, all of them bleary eyed and scattered around our house whispering to each other.

Gram had stopped dead in her tracks and she was looking back at me as I walked towards her slowly; the emotions she had worked so hard to hide were now evident on her face, literally on display for everyone to see. I felt my face crumple in confusion and I absentmindedly took the last few quick steps ahead of Gram, forgetting all about the respect that even the neighbors had brain enough to show.

There was a hole. A kind of crater, not so deep, not so large in size either but eerie enough that anyone who saw it was slowly backing away wanting to create as much as distance as they could between themselves and this strangely unsettling phenomenon. Red smoke ensued from it's edges and my eyes saw what none of the others except Gram could see.

Anderson's voice reverberated through the hushed atmosphere.

"It appeared with a tremendous bang just over a minute ago. We weren't sure…"

His voice trailed off and I turned around, my eyes raking over every one standing there before they finally landed on Gram. She kept her eyes locked on me as she spoke.

"Well, we didn't hear it. I think it's best we all dismiss the matter and go back inside our homes."

I was grateful that my grandmother had taken control of the situation. One by one people mumbled 'good night' and made their way back home.

I gazed at the hole for thirty more seconds before I finally jogged back to the penthouse where Gram stood with the front door open. She patted me on the back and said "I think it's best if you leave as soon as possible. You can take my car if you want."

I shook my head and gulped.

"Um…No. It's alright, I'll take my own car. I'll call as soon as I'm there."

It was like nothing had even happened. We had gone back to pretending, talking as if our conversations were merely about the weather.

However, I knew. It didn't take a genius to figure it out.

They were here. And they weren't going to let me leave that easily.

_Nobody -_ let's the Reflector leave once they've found them.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two.

Empty Room - Marjorie Fair.

The first thing I noticed when I entered was the silence. It was loud, deafening and made me want to cover my ears up and scream. My eyes were looking around, at the house I'd spent more than half my childhood in with my best friend, his dad…his mum; My mind was questioning the better part of my judgment as to why I had come _here_ in the first place.

I should have just gone home but somehow I had found myself turning into that street I knew so well, the bright yellow and orange lamppost at the entry sending that familiar feeling bubbling in my stomach – a mixture of relief, calm, happiness combined this time with an odd sense of hope. I felt strangely out of place; as if I didn't really belong, as if I never really had belonged here and that was not a good feeling to carry around about the place I had called home for the last sixteen years of my life.

I guess I just needed a doze of past memories.

Smiling to myself, I walked further into the house wondering whether it was inappropriate of me to have taken advantage of the fact that I knew where the extra house keys were hidden; it never had been before but this was different. Three months away could have – _would have __–_changed anything and everything.

_That home sick huh?_

I whipped around immediately pressing my back against the wall on which hung rows of family pictures, in my fluster knocking down a frame that fell a yard away from me.

I blinked. Once. Twice.

My head spun and my vision blurred; Damn those migraines for creeping up on me when I least wanted them.

_It's not you, it's me. _

It was a whisper - real and yet not so real - caressing my ear, willing me to listen… making me desperate to keep it there.

_I can't stay. _

Of course… it was better this way.

"What are you doing here?"

My eyes flew open. Hadn't that been my imagination?

"Alex..?" I said, uncertainly.

He looked terrible, his eyes haunted, like he hadn't slept at all; but there was a controlled atmosphere about him as if he were approaching everything around him with indifference and caution combined.

"Who did you expect? You're in my house." He brushed his nose distractedly.

He wouldn't even look at me.

"Is that your idea of a welcome back?" I smiled at him.

He brushed his hair out of his eyes and shoved his hands into his pockets before saying "Well, it's not like I got a goodbye so…" His voice trailed off as he lifted his head to finally look at me with those brilliant bright grey eyes; eyes that were full of indifference, mixed with the immense hurt I had caused him but he had too much dignity to show.

I looked down and grimaced trying not to let my hurt show.

"I guess I deserved that"

His face softened at that but only just. He sighed and walked towards the kitchen counter, taking a seat on one of the stools. Pretending to be engrossed in the back of a Frosties cereal box, he spoke again.

"Why are you here Carrie?"

I knew I couldn't lie to him; firstly because I never wanted to and secondly, because he'd see right through my lie.

"Your dad called me."

He looked up at that, face still devoid of any emotion but eyes appraising. For a moment, something flashed in his eyes. I tentatively took a step forward… and the spell was broken. He got up from the stool in one fluid movement and locked his eyes on to mine.

"I'm _fine. _No thanks to _you._"

I cringed. His voice was so cold, his eyes like ice bergs in a lone ocean. What had I expected? That if no else did, Alex would welcome me home with open arms? He was probably the one who had been hurt the most.

"I'm sorry X. I really am. I deserve every single thing you throw at me right now so go ahead," I gestured vaguely with my hands. "Beat me up, insult me, whatever."

He turned around and looked at me then. My heart faltered and a twisting sensation ensued in my stomach as he looked me in the eyes. He was _crying_. Alex never cried; The only time I had seen him teary eyed was at Sephy's funeral. But then, who hadn't cried that day?

"I came looking for you that day. Did you know that? The day I found out my mother was going to DIE."

He knew exactly which words to emphasize on. I cringed again and shook my head once, pleading.

"Do you have any idea how it felt when your mum said 'Oh but she's gone Alex! I'm sure she must have told you! Carrie didn't tell you?'"

"X look -"

He spread his arms wide as if presenting himself to the world.

"Because of course, I'm the best friend. I'm supposed to know everything about you, I'm supposed to be at your side through thick or thin

"I was miserable Carrie, I was dying inside and you know what you did? You left me to DIE. You let it happen." He paused and took a few more steps so that his face was inches from mine.

"Now I couldn't care less if you get run over by a truck or choke to death."

I had been hurt before several times but the hurt I felt now was so intense I found that it physically hurt my chest. Just like that all the walls I had built up, all the practice I had done, all the determination went down the drain. I felt the sobs rip from my chest as I spun around and made straight for the door.

Outside everything was the same. The air untouched. No sign of heartbreak, no sign of gloom, no sign of anger or anything negative - It was a clear day with blue skies just sunny enough.

_I told you. _

Yeah, kick a girl when she's down will ya?

_You should have stayed away. _

I shouldn't have left in the first place.

_But you did. _

And that had of course, ruined everything.


End file.
